An Interview with Gary Greenberg

I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, attended Penn State University, where I majored in rugby, beer, and coeds, and miraculously graduated with a B.A. degree in journalism in 1976. In 1991, I earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Florida International University. I’ve now been writing professionally for more than 40 years, primarily as an award-winning journalist. Since 1999, I’ve owned and operated the freelance writing service SuperWriter, Inc. My work has appeared in both regional and national publications, including AARP, Life Extension, Boca Magazine, and The National Enquirer.

Along with The Beer Diet, I’ve self-published the crime novel Dead Man’s Tale as well as a true crime book I co-authored, Sex and the Serial Killer: My Bizarre Times with Robert Durst. I also wrote The Chelation Revolution, a health-related book published by Humanix Books.

I’ve further written an assortment of other things, including essays, tales of travel, magazine articles, short and long fiction, children’s stories and verse, and the satire ezine Cosmic Chronicle.

When I’m not writing, I still enjoy an occasional game of rugby, brewing my own beer, traveling off the beaten path, and hanging out at my Boca Raton, Florida, home with my eternally beautiful wife, Nora, and our dog, Roxanne. We also have a grown son, Glen, who lives in Tampa.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

My affinity for beer grew out of playing rugby for most of my adult life. It’s a sport in which beer is not only a vital element of the social scene but also a convenient numbing agent following games. Despite drinking a lot of beer, I’ve managed to stay fairly trim right into my senior years, prompting a lot of people to ask, “How you you drink so much beer and not gain weight?” Consequently, I spent five years writing articles about holistic health, anti-aging, alternative therapies and the like – some of which I’ve practiced myself – and turned my love of beer and natural health knowledge into a health book for beer-drinkers.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

A partial list includes roofer, factory worker, waiter, door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, ballpark beer vendor, apartment house manager, show horse groom, movie extra, migrant worker, college professor, tree trimmer, weight training instructor, performance artist, drawbridge operator, video producer, network marketer and import/export business manager. I’ve also worked in an impressive variety of writing-related jobs.

Readers may be surprised to learn that I am not a good beer chugger, as there is something about my breathing anatomy that doesn’t allow me to open up my throat and pour beer into it, a trait most rugby players seem to be born with. That said, I prefer fine ales that really aren’t meant to be chugged.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title comes from my brother’s friend, who was a coxswain on a collegiate rowing team and went on what he called his ” beer diet” to lose as much weight as quickly as possible in the two or three days leading up to a race. Even though his beer diet, consuming nothing but beer, varies from my more sustainable approach, the title was a natural.

What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?

Seeing the cover for the first time. A fellow tabloid worker who’s an excellent cartoonist did it and I couldn’t have been more pleased. Of course, actually holding the sample copy was also a big moment.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

It’s really all about health, and the better you take care of yourself the longer you’ll be able to enjoy drinking beer, and life in general. The Beer Diet explains how even relatively painless modifications to your life can have a big impact on health. It’s also vital to take responsibility for your own health by not just relying on doctors and meds but educating yourself about what is good and bad for your particular body and identifying underlying problems that are likely contributing, or even causing, what ails you.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

I’m still waiting on more recognition. Meanwhile I have fun going to breweries or beer conventions, putting up my Meet the Author sign, and chatting with people and signing some copies.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I’ve recently completed a draft of Work: A Memoir. I also have a collection of children’s stories and verse called Read Aloud Tales and am looking for an illustrator to partner up with.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.